Active Engine Brake

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Nissan's Dynamic Performance R&D initiative can be summed up as two closely-related aims: to interpret driver's input more insightfully than ever before, and to execute those intentions with greater speed and precision than ever before.

One of those technologies, Nissan's Active Engine Brake, is best described as the CVT equivalent to what you do with a manual gearbox as you enter a tight curve: shift down to decelerate smoothly, then shift back up again as your accelerate through the curve's apex.

Active Engine Brake harnesses the advantages of Nissan's CVT technology to intelligently automate this function in a subtle way. The result is smoother cornering - especially for novice drivers.

The system is also effective in straight-line deceleration, for example slowing down before a red light. Many less-skilled drivers apply the brakes several times between initial slowing and final stop - which can feel like a jerky and inelegant maneuver. With Active Engine Brake everyone performs more smoothly, which reduces driving stress.

"It is deliberately subtle to avoid startling the driver," says Naoki Miyashita of Nissan's driving control development team. "But the effective is clearly measurable, in terms of reduced wear on the brakes and also in smoother driver performance with both cornering and straight-line deceleration."